Three of B.C.'s four independent MLAs are proposing a number of changes they say could make the legislature more open and accountable.

Vicki Huntington, Bob Simpson and John van Dongen say they will propose changing the fixed provincial election date from May to October starting in 2017.

The MLAs say moving the election to the fall would allow the provincial budget to be fully audited before politicians use the numbers in their campaigns. Budgets are currently brought down in February or March.

Among their other proposed innovations, the group wants to eliminate union and corporate political donations.

“It's no secret that people feel that [these donations] leave government and opposition open to widespread criticism of influence from corporate and union bodies,” Huntington said.

She said 60 per cent of the 2011 B.C. Liberal Party operating budget is from corporate donations while more than 20 per cent of the B.C. NDP’s budget comes from union donations.

Power to backbenchers

The independents also are recommending giving Elections B.C. oversight over party leadership votes and providing bigger roles for backbench MLAs.

Simpson said those members not in cabinet are relegated to being mere political operatives for their party.

He said their role is reduced to "table-pounding, heckling in question period, giving partisan speeches on bills and then having to adhere to whipped votes on legislation that they didn't have any input into."

The legislature’s fourth independent MLA, John Slater, who recently resigned from the Liberals, has not joined his fellow non-aligned MLAs because he is not running again.

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The MLA for Parksville-Qualicum was re-elected in 2009 and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Technology in September 2012.

John Slater, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, was elected in 2009. In January 2013, he announced he was leaving the B.C. Liberal caucus to sit as an Independent after the party refused to approve his candidacy to run again.

The Liberal MLA for Peace River South was first elected in 2001. Since 2011, he has served as Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

The MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena was elected in 1996, 2001, 2005 and 2009.

The Liberal MLA for Shuswap was first elected in 1996. A member of the Priorities and Planning Committee and the Cabinet Committee on Families First, Abbott was appointed the Minister of Education in 2010.

The Liberal MLA for Richmond Centre was elected in 2009. He cited "personal reasons" for not running again.

The Liberal MLA for Chilliwack was first elected in 2001. He served as parliamentary secretary, Minister of Small Business and Economic Development and Public Safety and Solicitor General.

The Liberal MLA for Vancouver-False Creek was first elected in 2009. In 2011, she was appointed Minister for Children and Family Development.

The Liberal MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale was first elected in 2001. He has served as ministers of finance, health and transportation.

The Liberal MLA for Surrey-Tynehead was first elected in 2001. He served on the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services.

The Liberal MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, who was first elected in 2005, said she always planned to serve no more than two terms.

The Liberal MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed was first elected in 2001. He was the only member of the B.C. Liberal caucus to support Christy Clark's bid for the party leadership. He served as Minister of Social Development and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism.

The Liberal MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview was first elected in 2009. He served as minister of public safety and solicitor general.

The Liberal MLA for Saanich North and the Islands was first elected in 2001. He has headed the ministries of labour, environment and advanced education.

The Liberal MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson was first elected in 1996. He served as Minister of State for Mining, Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister of Community Development.

The Liberal MLA for Penticton was first elected in 1996. In 2005 he was named Speaker of the B.C. Legislature.

The North Coast NDP MLA was first elected in 2005, and again in 2009.

The NDP MLA of New Westminster was elected in 2009.

The NDP MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows was elected in 2005 and 2009. He was the Opposition critic for fisheries.

The MLA for Abbotsford-Mission was first elected in 2001, and again in the 2005 and 2009 elections.

The NDP MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville was elected in 2005 and again in 2009. She was the deputy opposition critic for education.